VELARDE TO PUSH FOR PROGRESS
Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Rosito T. Velarde, the new Mayor of Tinambac along with the incoming members of the town’s Sanggunian Bayan, were recently sworn into office by the reelected Governor of Camarines Sur, Governor Luis Villafuerte. Other than Velarde, installed were: Vice Mayor Elmer Brioso, and Kagawads Andres Alcana, Violeta Bermudo, Aldrin dela Torre, William Medina, David Ortiz, Raul Reyes, Raul San Antonio and Edgardo Tuy.In his inauguration address, Mayor Velarde vowed to bring the long overdue progress of Tinambac by creating new business opportunities to woo potential investors and developing local agricultural potentials such as basil leaves production in Barangay Obo and increasing vegetable production output in known production areas. He pointed out that the millions of pesos currently deposited in the savings account of the town, will be withdrawn and reinvested into the local town’s economy. "Ang gobierno dai dapat nagsasaray nin kuarta sa banko kon kadaklan kan mga constituentes kaini nagtitirios. An kuarta kan gobierno dapat gastoson sa karahayan kan banwaan," exhorted Velarde during his inauguration.
Already, the new Mayor has literally cleaned-up the municipal hall, clearing it of construction materials that littered the hallways of the building during the incumbency of Mayor Reyes. He also moved the colored TV that was in the mayor’s office, to the waiting area of the municipal hall. "Kadakol pa kaming dapat guibohon asin ta mayo akong panahon magdalan nin television," Mayor Velarde was quoted as saying. The minor changes recently instituted by the youthful Mayor is welcomed by the townspeople who have been clamoring for change because of the stagnant economy of the town.
Sindolfo B. Gacer, a resident of Olag Grande praised the Mayor’s initiatives, "Dapat lang na an Mayor mag-asikaso kan mga tawo. An banwaan kan Tinambac haloy ng nagsasakit sa pagtios." "Nagkakaigwa kami nin pag-asa ki Mayor Velarde dahil dati man siyang pobre. An saiyang mga hiro-hiro pabor sa samuya dahil maka-tawo ini," added Manny Picaso, a recently defeated Kagawad candidate from Tierra Nevada.
It can be recalled, that Mayor Velarde, ridiculed by many for his lack of educational attainment, convincingly defeated Henry Savilla by almost 2,000 votes in the recently concluded election. The so-called "dream team" of Savilla, a retired PNP General and considered to be well-schooled were soundly obliterated by Velarde’s line-up who garnered the majority in the Kagawad race. Rodolfo "Ever" Barrion, Velarde’s running-mate lost by almost the same margin, to Elmer "Bodoy" Brioso, a practising lawyer and veteran of the local political scene.
